First Fitting

 My bridal client, Autumn, had this beautiful cobalt blue Silk Dupioni sent out to be embroidered by Cloud Nine Stitchery. The embroidery turned out so gorgeous against this fabric that I just have to share. I couldn't wait to cut into it!. We're making Autumn a little late 50's/early 60's inspired wedding frock with poufy skirt. She is searching for a petticoat right now. I always love the Malco Modes brand for a serious pouf. They rock the poufy petticoat, have a wide variety of colors, and you can take out some of the pouf if its just too much. I believe that they used to cater mainly to the square dance set and while they dont sell directly to the public, any good costume shop should have a nice selection.

I dont want to show the whole dress yet because Im supertitious that way - and its not done.  But I had to share how pretty this color scheme is.

So the next step is to have her try this on, make sure everything fits the way it's supposed to, check for any needed changes to the design, check the hemline and then finish construction.

Range Of Motion Dilemmas In The Life Of An Acrobat

At this moment in time, I am working on making a Ring Master's Jacket for an acrobat in 2 Ring Circus.  He has a great looking jacket already, but the arms keep blowing out. And you can see why.

No range of motion in the cut.
Well, my instincts are saying that he needs some kind of grown on gusset for the sleeve. And this is leading me down the path of researching shooter jackets and things that most people don't make or wear anymore. And then it leads me to join forums like the Cutter and Tailor because this just isn't information that you get easily in this modern day and age of boring clothing that doesn't move. So while this is a costume, it also has to have vintage appeal, has to look good, hold up under stress, and he has to be able to lift a person over his head. And it is spurring me on to be better educated in the tailoring process. Technique is sadly lacking in garments these days..


And Tribal Fest - Oh Tribal Fest! I am also making some new merchandise to peddle at Tribal Fest next month. I'll have my cute little vests and Sampants - and a new skirt. We'll see what else I can come up with - the pile of fabric is huge, but time is slipping away.................

I'm also making a sweet little wedding dress. Oh, it is so sweet! I'll be blogging about that soon - and more pictures of the Ring Master's Jacket will be posted.

Tribal Fest 2013 - Halfway To Halloween

Its that time of the year again, folks, and I will be returning to Tribal Fest again to offer a smattering of classics and a few new designs!!! Im so excited! Tribal Fest is always like belly dance reunion time and friends from all over the world and from all walks of life descend upon the adorable little town of Sebastopol and celebrate the art of Tribal Belly Dance! This is where you see the new, the latest, the greatest, and you can shop for days and not see it all. Can I say that this is probably my favorite time of the year???

This year, I'll be vending once again in the Peace Park with Medina Maitreya. Our wonderful and fabulous friend, Fool Proof will be enticing you with her wares as well - right next to our booth - so you will be inspired and drooling, and unable to resist letting us dress you up!! Come by and say hi at the very least!!
SEE YOU THERE!!!!

XX

Tribal Fest
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center
390 Morris Street
Sebastopol, CA 95472
BlackSheepBellyDance.com

The Cotton Lycra Sampant Is Back!

 My beloved heavy weight cotton lycra is back in my studio!

Over the last few months, Ive been sourcing materials and ordering fabrics that have been hard for me to get lately. Ive searched high and low for a source that is reliable and doesn't require me to order hundreds of yards of fabric at a time. I just learned that anything under 100 yards is considered sample yardage. Gone are the days when I can just walk into a discounted fabric store and obtain my precious cotton lycra at a good price. So I was forced into the world of dealing with the big boys.

It was bound to happen eventually, right?

Well that part is over and I'm back in the saddle again! Ive been making the heavy Cotton Lycra ruffled capris that started that whole ruffled capri mania out there in the world a few years back! They are a great addition to your wardrobe - and if your older ones are starting to wear out, these are not out of this world expensive yet. I have listed a few sizes up in my Etsy store! This fabric is a great weight for making pants and skirts. It holds up well to wear and tear, is versatile for dance or day wear, and these sweet little capris are perfect for the upcoming warm weather!

Im so happy to be making these again!

Here's a quick link to my Etsy store! Ive got new ideas to get sewn up as well!! Bur I thought I would start with these!

Shenae Grimes as Frankie Stein

Right before Halloween, when we were in the midst of getting some costumes ready for an off-Broadway Christmas show, Chris March was approached by Mattel to create a Monster High Frankie Stein costume for Shenae Grimes. Well, he couldn't say no - because: HOW FUN!

So he commissioned me to make her little corset. I couldn't say no - because HOW FUN! And it all turned out so very cute! Everyone was pleased, it was a winner in US Magazine's online Halloween Costume poll, Chris got a lot of attention, Shenae got a lot of attention, the costume and some of the people involved got a lot of attention, and the project was deemed a success.

Although I am not a doll person per se,  I LOVE these dolls! What a great project to be able to say I was involved in!

Ka Kathryn June Amorastreya's Wedding Jacket

Kathryn "Ka" June Amorastreya is a lovely woman who was married in a stunning gown that I did not create. However, she did hire both Black Lotus Clothing and Kathleen Crowley Couture to create her wedding jacket. The collaboration consisted of Ka bringing us her materials, which included silk and cotton fabrics. These were  screen printed with the milky way. Being an incredible artist with an eye for the beautiful and obscure, we were brought fabrics and trims that were inspiring and fun to use.. I made the ruffled doily appliqued jacket, which was then embellished by Black Lotus Clothing. As usual, the end result of this collaboration was left with a happy bride and a gorgeous wedding ensemble

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The World Didnt End............

So have yourselves a very Merry Christmas, Yule, or whatever you like to celebrate!

Deidre Anaid

 Deidre Anaid makes the best Evil Queen ever.
Ever.
A very stunning and confident woman,  she always has a vision and knows what she wants when she comes to me with her ideas. We always come up with something dramatic that she can work with in her performance. On top of being a very innovative dancer, the lady's got the visuals DOWN!

Its a bit difficult to see, but there are two skirts for this costume. A Rattie Tattie Style skirt of paint spattered lace goes under a tear away overskirt. I had fun with this one - I got to do some fabric painting and fabric distressing after the fitted garment was done.

Head piece by Snake Church
Photography: Dark Soul Photography

Sherri Wheatley

  Ive made many costume components for Sherri over the years. This was a quick one where she needed a skirt and there wasn't much time to send swatches back and forth. I lucked out on my first shopping trip and found a great rayon with a copper sheen. Its got lots of buttons and loops. She can bustle it, wrap it, or leave it down. I love the print and the drama of the length. She wears it well!

Inactive Here, But Active Nontheless

Lordy, but the blogging has been severely neglected! But once Halloween is over, I hope to be able to catch my breath and write a few posts about some of my more interesting projects and adventures this year!

My blog needs overhauling, Im working on a website, Ive got things in the works, there just has not been a lot of time for sitting and writing!

Stay tuned and check in now and then! I haven't gone away!
XXX

OOOps I did it again!

Im having a Once In A Blue Moon Sale!
Yes, I said I wouldnt have any more sales...........
But that was a whole different world back then........

Just go to my Etsy Store and when you purchase something, you will be instructed at checkout to enter this code::
BLUEMOONSALE2012
You'll get 15% off your purchase!

Yes, once in a Blue Moon! It can happen!
:)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Cholis!

Ive got some lovely cholis going up in my Etsy shop right now! I wasnt focusing on the store for a while, but thats all changing now, and I'll be listing garments as I make them.

There are a few smalls offered although I have mostly larger sizes at the moment.  I had sold quite a few of the smaller sizes at Tribal Fest this Spring. But I will be making more cholis in a variety of sizes, fabrics, and styles as materials come my way!
- keep checking in!

Ive got some pretty green lace Rattie Tattie Skirts cut out and waiting to be sewn up. Perhaps I should make some matching tops!

Come by my Etsy Shop and check out whats going on! Ive got your classic Sampants, a few of this and some of that...............as always!

I Love My Life!
X

Finally Some Curtains..........

Its that time of the year when sunlight floods into my studio and I feel exposed to the world without curtains. I have been in this studio almost two years and have never been been able to get more than some lace scraps and borrowed Christmas lights up in the front widow above the door. Ive been waiting for the right fabric and the right hardware and could never decided just what to do with it.

But yesterday, being July and all, I just had to take those lights down and get on the ball with this. I needed more of a feeling of privacy and I just had to get the thing done. So I measured the area, took some fabric that was hanging off the wall, borrowed a rod from the back room, dug out a bunch of those little cafe rod clippie thingies, pressed out that fabric and got to it.

I would have rather had something more dramatic and romantic as a window treatment, but maybe I can accomplish this in another two years or so. (just kidding) In the meantime, Ive got a nice white brocade keeping out prying eyes and giving me some privacy. It doesn't look great, but it doesn't look too bad. It doesn't fight with anything. It gives me some peace of mind until I put up better curtains (I actually need a taller ladder to do something nicer, so that's next on the list)  and I didn't hurt myself putting them up.

I am continually hearing people these days lamenting the price of sewing lessons and workshops. Well, my dears, those people deserve a living wage as well as you do. There are online classes and there are books and there are people who teach at lower rates also - so if you cannot afford for someone to come out and measure your windows and then make drapes that hang properly and create a pleasing ambiance for your environment, go make your own! YouTube is chock full of tutorials and little classes! You might not have as much fun as you would have in a hands on class, but you can learn useful things. There really is nothing more satisfying than having made something with your own two hands! Not only will you take pride in your accomplishment, you will understand what it takes to make something and to make it well. And hopefully you will understand that people with skills need to be compensated well for those skills. We don't just wiggle our noses to make it work. There is some expertise involved and lots of overhead. We all need to earn a decent living.

Ive got some info here about classes that I offer. Please email me if you would like to learn some sewing skills that you can use to get that great feeling of accomplishment! My prices are very reasonable and I like to laugh - so we'll have a good time as you learn!

hmmmmmmmmm.................as I look at this photo, I see now that I'll need that taller ladder soon. Ive got ideas.....................shirred short shears (say that 5 times really fast!) on two thin rods in the back and I want to replace the short upper curtains with drapes that go to the floor and puddle over the already puddling drapes - not practical - and who cares! And I need to find a chandelier, but one of those HUGE  paper lanterns would do.

Old Califronia Charm

Usually when I set appointments for the weekends, I try to have people come in after noon. Its not because I need to sleep in. I give myself a morning or two to come hang out in Port Costa to have coffee, cornbread, and hang out with friends in  Earls' storefront cafe! There is a lovely community of diverse people here. People from all walks of life happen by. I have had conversations with tourists visiting from other countries, new neighbors, old neighbors, and Ive even found old friends from back in the day that disappeared. This is one of those magical places where you just end up and keep coming back for more! It has the flavor and vibe of an Old California - a time we'll never have again.

A few weeks back, I wrote a post about some pillows that I had made for the Burlington Hotel .  I call it my Pet Pillow Project. This hotel is a true hidden and relatively unknown gem of the San Francisco Bay Area! The hotel really should be recognized and preserved as a landmark. Through the efforts of a wonderful group of people, this old lady is being spruced up and revived. I am so pleased that I get to help in my small way with this sprucing up - for I love this old lady with all my heart! Port Costa is pretty popular on the weekends. I'm very sure that soon, this area is going to be visited quite a bit more!

My photos cant quite convey the charm of this place or the work that is going into it, but come by and take a look, have some strong coffee and cornbread, have a beer over at the Warehouse Cafe, peek into the windows over at the Theatre of Dreams, stroll through a little town that is surrounded by wild countryside and farm land, and walk the tracks along the Carquinez straits................and then if you plan ahead and let me know you are coming, you can drive back through Crockett and come visit my studio! Perhaps you'll end up going home with a new pair of Sampants! Perhaps you'll find a treasure that you cant resist!

2010 Tribal Fest After Party

Brad Dosland takes such beautiful photos!!! Just snagged a couple that were recently posted on his
Taboo Media Facebook page.. Brad does most of this on his own dime for his community, so we wait for the documentation when we have to - and gladly! This was the 2010 Tribal Fest After Party. My model, Steven was wearing the white wedding attire. Medina Maitreya made the fascinator and collar.

Model: Steven Eggers
Designers: Right to Left: Rachel Thomas, Medina Maitreya, Kathleen Crowley, Lee Kobus, Katherine Summer

Happy 4th of July!

Lets not forget what this day is all about.
It appears that we have done so.
Speak out.
Stand up for your rights and take back the right to do so without punishment from the law.
Stand up for your fellow man.
Demand liberty and justice for all.
.

Colette

I made Colette Todorov's  wedding dress back when I was living on Fell St. in San Francisco - quite a long time ago now. Ive been digging through old photos and pictures that have been sent to me. Colette's popped up and I thought I would share. This lavender dress has a chiffon overlay trimmed with  ribbon of a darker hue. Its a perfect color for her complexion! Don't be afraid to choose a complimentary color for your wedding dress! Especially for a less formal venue. White does not suit everyone. Show off your personality and have fun!

I dont know how she does it, but she still looks the same!

Colette now lives in Oregon and is the director of Scarlet Thistle Studio.
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

A Few Words About Quality

Here is a video made of my friend Erika who is a clothing whore   fashionista of the finest degree. She has impeccable taste and knows quality when she sees it. I made a Poiret inspired silk velvet opera coat for her wedding day, and Ive repaired some of her precious vintage. I do believe that the black fringie beribboned coat was one of the coats that she brought me to work on. There is nothing more exciting than keeping these old treasure alive and wearable! Here is her SF accessories boutique!


Erika Von Petrin for Stylelikeu.com from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

Most people have no idea what goes into making clothing. They usually don't understand why certain garments cost so much when they are used to purchasing  mass produced clothing that can be worn and thrown away in a season or two. And with incomes going down and the cost of living going up, it is harder to justify purchasing expensive clothing.

Better clothing is usually more expensive because more time and money goes into its construction. But if you purchase things that are made better, they will generally last a lot longer with care. I have altered, repaired, and constructed many garments over the years. Ive worked on a lot of vintage clothing, which were usually made with better care and attention to detail. The ONE thing that I have seen with the older clothing in contrast with the newer clothing is that the older clothing is made with a much tinier stitch length. This has held these garments up to the test of time. The most time consuming part of repairing or altering these garments has been ripping out those tiny little stitches. They often do not rip out easily. Rarely do I see modern clothing sewn with tiny stitches. And it usually falls apart quickly with wear.

A garment of superior quality will look like more care and consideration was taken into its production. The first thing to do would be to go do some window shopping and inspect low priced garments and then compare them to higher priced garments. The item or items should stand out  above the inferior clothing. There may be more detail, seams will be straight or sewn with more care. Bust seams should be smooth with no puckering. Buttons are sewn on securely. Button holes should not be frayed. There will sometimes be smaller machine stitching in the foundation of the garment ( but this is a trend that has mainly died out due to manufacturing costs). Pockets flaps will lie flat. Lapels will lie flat. Inner seams may be bound with bias tape. Threads will be clipped. Linings and interlinings and padding may be used. There may be more curves to accommodate a female body Seam allowances will be clipped so that the seam lays flat against the body. More consideration may be taken into giving a hem or hemline that is flattering. Hems  should not pucker. There may be a bit more weight and drape to the garment. There may be bigger seam allowances to accommodate possible alterations. More finishing techniques may be used to add more life and structure to the clothing.  More thought will be taken in the actual design of the garment. Better fabrics will be used. The inside of the garment should look nice also. Try on the garments and see how they fit. See how they make you feel when they are on your body. There is a reason why some clothing makes you look and feel like a million bucks - much more time and thought went into its' making.

What To Wear To The Beach

Its summer now and I found myself recently in a situation where I was expected to don a bathing suit and lay out in the sun.  I don't do that. I don't even own a bathing suit. But nonetheless, I would wear one of these, I suppose, in an emergency.